


Foot in Mouth

by Rhanon_Brodie (Glass_Jacket)



Series: Kodachrome [1]
Category: Arctic Monkeys, Indie Music RPF
Genre: AU, M/M, Non-Linear Narrative, Original Character(s), Rating subject to change, Series of One Shots, Tags Subject to Change, bearded!jamie, but never say never, humbug!Alex, i'm not sure if the other monkeys will show up, no chronological order, or even miles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-28
Updated: 2015-08-28
Packaged: 2018-04-17 16:51:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4674197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glass_Jacket/pseuds/Rhanon_Brodie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As far as first meetings go, theirs could have been worse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> All recognizable elements herein are the property of their respective owners. The remaining content is mine.
> 
> So...this story has some wayyyyyyy back origins when Stanzie and I started talking about the possibilities for AUs for my OTP. The domestic vibe was strong, and what started as 'awww, wouldn't these two being married and having badass careers and talking about adopting a baby be so perfect??' turned into this. 
> 
> 'Kodachrome' is a series of one shots, all built around a domestic AU for Jamie Cook / Alex Turner. The idea behind it is as if you were to take a photo album off of the shelf and flip through it - but the pictures are stuck in with no real rhyme or reason. The important moments are captured. Those defining moments in a relationship are forever immortalized on pearly paper. So, open the cover, and shuffle through the memories.
> 
> I know next to nothing about Lord Byron, and even less about architecture. The Bartlett School of Architecture does exist at UCL London, but other than that, everything else is more or less fictional. 
> 
> The line Jamie quotes is an actual quote by Lord Byron

_**London, 2009** _

“Are you still joining us tonight, Alex?”

Alex Turner looked up from the worn text of Byron poetry and blinked behind his horn rimmed glasses. He smiled at the woman who had spoken - Beth Chambers, a pretty blond with soft green eyes, and a brilliant smile - and then removed his glasses with a small sigh. 

“I’ve got...a lot to cover here before next Wednesday,” he began, gesturing to the book on the desk. “And I...I’m not really...I mean, I don’t know anyone,” he continued, though it sounded rather lame.

Beth snorted and rolled her eyes, and then pushed Alex’s hand aside, closing the book. “You know _me_ , you dork. And isn’t that a reason to go - to meet other people _besides_ me?”

Alex frowned and rubbed his hands over his jeans, while chewing on the inside of his lower lip. “You...don’t you...I mean...you like being me friend, yeah?” He glanced back up at her and tucked a long piece of dark hair behind his ear.

“Yes, Alex, I _adore_ being your friend - you should know that by now. And if you weren’t gay, I’d say we make the perfect pair.” She winked. “But I’m _worried_ about you, you know? You’ve been here for, what, two months? And the most you’ve managed to do is put a huge dent in your thesis - which is commendable, don’t get me wrong - but like...don’t you get bored? Or lonely?” Beth sighed and sat on the edge of the desk where Alex was sitting and gave him a pleading look.

Alex sat back and surveyed the UCL London English Department lounge. Beth was right - he was more familiar with the stacks of the Romantic Literature period, and his tiny shoebox dorm room, and Beth’s face, than he was with anything else. And it wasn’t that he _liked_ being a total shut in, he just had a hard time adjusting to new social situations. It usually required a few margaritas, and then he usually ended up saying something so over-the-heads of the present company that he clammed up and made friends with the cat - if there was one - or the bartender, depending on where the social gathering was taking place. He looked back at Beth who was waiting, watching him rather expectantly.

“What is this thing for again?”

Beth clapped her hands excitedly and let out a girl squeal. “So you’ll come?”

“No - well, yes, but...what are we going to?”

She waved her hand in dismissal. “Something about the new library opening - the one that was designed by the Faculty of Architecture? They’re recognizing the students who were on the project.”

Alex wrinkled his nose. “Architecture? I don’t know if I want to spend all night talking about doric columns and flying buttresses,” he muttered, gleaning what little knowledge he had about structures from his few art history courses he had from his undergrad studies.

“Alex, when do you not want to talk about columns and butts?” Beth grinned.

“Cheeky,” Alex snarked with a wink, pointing a finger at Beth.

“I learned from the best,” she replied. “Come _on_ , Alex, we’ll have fun, we’ll work the room, talk to some students, drink the free booze, eat the free pears wrapped in prosciutto, and then you can come back here and make love to Byron all night long.”

Alex grinned and thumped the book on his desk. “He could use a proper shag, the poor romantic fool.”

Beth hopped off of his desk and smiled. “I’ll come get you around six? Cocktails are at six thirty. Wear the sweater.”

Alex furrowed his brow. “Which sweater?”

Beth rolled her eyes as she backed away towards the door. “ _The_ sweater, Alex. You know, that charcoal one, with the big collar, and the thick elbow patches? The one you look so... _smashing_ in.”

“Ah, right,” Alex replied with a blush. “Fine, I’ll wear the sweater. Just...can we make it six-fifteen?” He glanced at his watch. It was just after four now. “I mean, I could use a little more time-”

“Alex!” Beth scolded playfully. “I will not be stood up for some nineteenth century bore with an obsession for death and afterlife. I’ll be there at _six_.” And with a swish of her blonde ponytail, Beth marched out of the department lounge, leaving Alex to wonder how he always ended up with resolved female sidekicks.

He couldn’t really complain, though. Beth had been the first friendly face he’d encountered when he’d transferred from King’s College to complete his graduate work, and she’d taken pity on him - not that he was asking - and made it her duty to show him around, get him acquainted with staff and librarians, a handful of students, the pubs, the shops, and the basic layout of the campus and student village. In a nutshell, she was a godsend, especially considering she was _dying_ to set him up with someone. “But not just _any_ someone,” she’d been quick to point out. “He has to be perfect for my Alexander.”

He’d been on a few dates since he’d come to the university, but nothing he’d write home about. The guys were either art students, or other English majors, most of which he found rather dull, and completely overzealous, ironic as it seemed. For the most part, he was bored, but he was nice enough at any rate. None of them, however, had warranted a need for a repeat performance.

Glancing at his watch again, Alex took a breath and opened his book on Byron, and picked up his pencil. He could focus for the next hour and half, he calculated, scurry back to his dorm, duck into the shower, scrub the old book smell from his skin, and dig the sweater out of the back of his closet, and hopefully be some kind of presentable by the time Beth came to fetch him. He scribbled a few notes but found his stomach tightening at the idea of meeting new people. He cut his working time frame by ten minutes. He’d need a shot of courage or two to get through this, and he’d yet to crack the new bottle of tequila he had in his desk drawer.

+

Jamie Cook leaned down over the green felt and eyed up the cue ball in relation to the 8. It was a relatively easy shot, but that didn’t mean he was going to make it seem that way. Tilting his head, he quickly calculated the distance and angles needed to bump the shot off of three sides, scooping the perimeter of the pool table, to effectively dump the eight ball in the corner pocket, thus winning a quick fifty bucks. Aside from the fact that his father had taught him everything he knew about pool, Jamie was rather proficient in physics, geometry, and algebra. It was too bad his opponents, a couple of knuckleheads from the university’s lacrosse team, didn’t know that.

“Gentlemen, this is what I like to call, ‘fifty in me pocket.’” Jamie took aim, pulled the cue back, and cracked the cue ball, sending it into a wicked backspin. 

He watched with a smile as the white ball connected with the black, and the black dutifully spun towards the side bumper, the end, back to the side, and then strolled in a graceful, diagonal line right into the corner pocket, where it dropped with a satisfying _plunk_. The lacrosse players heaved a collective groan, while the small group that accompanied Jamie broke out into applause.

Jamie grinned as he turned back to his classmates gathered in _The Duck and Lion Public House_ , mostly members of the Bartlett School of Architecture, and shook hands with a few of them. His opponents dug into their pockets, each contributing bills until they had the allotted fifty owed to Jamie. The tallest of their group folded the bills over and wandered towards Jamie, who was downing the dregs of his lager.

“You’re good,” the jock spoke with a wry grin, holding the winnings out between his thumb and forefinger.

“Ah, thank ya kindly,” Jamie laughed after swallowing. He plucked the bills offered.

“Where’d you learn to make a shot like that?” The jock queried, raising an eyebrow.

Jamie chuckled again, and shrugged, settling onto his stool. “Physics class, tenth grade.”

The jock snorted, and shook his head in disbelief. “Engineers,” he scoffed. “You played us.”

Jamie shook his head. “Architect,” he corrected. “And, don’t hate the player, mate. Hate the game.”

“Yeah, yeah,” the jock grumbled, before turning back to his friends.

A waitress wandered over and before the jock could get too far out of earshot, Jamie called out, “Ehhh, what are ya drinkin’ over there, then?”

The jock turned around with a curious scowl. “Newcastle,” he slowly replied.

Jamie nodded and handed his winnings over to the waitress. “Their next round is on me. You keep the change, aye?” He winked at her, and then nodded to his former opponent. “No hard feelings, mate. I wasn’t in it for the money.”

The jock’s face turned to one of amused wonder, and he shook his head. “You’re all right, mate.”

“Cheers,” Jamie said, raising the fresh pint the waitress had dropped off for him. He took a deep sip, and then thumbed the foam from his mustache, and stroked his bearded chin. “Guys, this has to be the last round - I still gotta drive back to the uni, aye? Got that library opening. You still riding with me, Colin?”

Jamie’s friend Colin Mackay looked up from where he was dragging the last of his chips through a puddle of ketchup, and nodded his clean-shaven head. “Yeah, if that’s all right? Can we swing by my place? I think I should change my shirt.” He frowned and looked down at the one he was wearing, currently sporting a spot of ketchup.

Glancing at his watch, Jamie nodded. “Sounds doable. I brought my jacket with me, it’s the back seat.”

“Is Heather coming tonight?” asked another classmate, this one a tall, slender, dark-skinned lad named Nadeem.

Jamie shook his head with a sad smile. “Nah. We aren’t really seeing each other anymore,” he admitted about his now-former relationship with the kinesiology student.

“Oh?” Nadeem pressed, his dark eyes brightening with interest. “Like...you guys are broken up? Officially?”

Jamie snorted and took another swig of his beer. After swallowing, he prodded, "You lookin’ to ask her out?”

Nadeem opened his mouth to reply, but he could only shrug and manage to look a bit sheepish. The others gathered around made jeering noises and laughed. “Yes?” Nadeem finally chuckled.

“Ah, you don’t seem so sure, mate. Let me give you some advice: Heather is no bullshit, aye? She won’t wait around for you to make up your mind. You gotta be sure. You gotta tell her up front what you want.”

“You didn’t tell her?”

Jamie sighed and stroked his beard once more, and then slid his hand around to fiddle with his ponytail. “Aye. I did,” he answered softly.

He remembered the conversation very well, in fact. He told her he was bisexual, and she told him that she respected that, but wasn’t sure how she felt about it. It was a clean break, all in all, and Heather really was a great girl, but Jamie had known from the get-go that she wasn’t going to be that one great love. He wished her the best, in all honesty, and he was glad to say that they were still friends - he helped her with her physics labs, and she used him as a guinea pig for her sports medicine applications.

Jamie shook his head clear and put himself back in the present. “Go for it, Nadeem. Sweep her off of her feet. She deserves it.”

“Fuck, Jamie, how are you still single?” Colin groaned, clapping a hand on his shoulder. He leaned a bit closer, knowing that Jamie’s orientation wasn’t common knowledge among his peers. “I mean, the way you romance girls? The way you handle guys - “ and here, Colin nodded towards the lacrosse team who were being served their round - “they should be knocking your door down.”

Jamie laughed and shouldered Colin playfully. “Well, Colin, if I knew you swung my way, I’d gladly make a play for ya.”

Colin laughed deeply, and rolled his eyes. “Fuck off, Cook. It would never work. You’re a Cancer, and I’m a commitment-phobe.”

Jamie made a face. “Going stag tonight?”

Colin shrugged. “I figure there’s got to be a cute girl there I can flirt with for a bit. Who knows? It may turn into something more.”

Jamie downed the rest of his beer and then took out his wallet, signalling to the waitress for his tab. “Well, maybe if you didn’t shag and split, there’d be somebody to take to these things.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Colin sighed. “When I meet her, I’ll know. And my gigolo days will be over.”

“I won’t hold my breath,” Jamie snickered. “You about done? If we don’t leave soon, we’re gonna be late.”

Colin nodded, stuffing the the last bite of his fries into his mouth and wiping his hands on his jeans. “Let’s go,” he mumbled through a mouthful.

“You’re such a catch,” Jamie quipped as they headed towards the door. They laughed, and strode into the twilight of the October evening.

+

Alex reached out and snagged another smoked salmon roll as a cocktail server swung past the bar with a full tray. It was his third of the night, but he was holding out for when the crab cakes made their rounds again. Those were rather good, and he could afford to make a meal out of them. For one thing, they were free, which was heaven on his measly student budget - slinging beers at _The Rose_ on campus didn’t exactly leave him living large - and for another, he was naturally slender. It didn’t matter what he ate, or how much of it, he still managed to fit into a size 30 jeans, and size medium shirt. In addition, it gave him something to do rather than mingle with people, despite Beth’s initial attempts to introduce him to people. He just wasn’t big into small talk, and in his view, there was nothing wrong with that. Unfortunately, others viewed him as snobbish, and even arrogant, but in actuality, he was much more at ease observing people. He hunched his shoulders beneath his thick sweater, thankful for the comfort his favourite piece of clothing brought him.

Popping the delicately smoked fish and cream cheese combination into his mouth, he chased it with his second margarita (he’d decided to pace himself after throwing two straight shots of tequila down his maw when Beth had arrived at his dorm). So far, he was feeling rather lofty as he scanned the crowd. There was quite a few people in attendance, but they couldn’t really be blamed: the Fraser Memorial Library was rather impressive, with a spacious and lofty mezzanine spanning the intimate central area where the stage and cocktail tables had been set up for the occasion. The contributing designers had made a play of the natural landscape of the campus, and chosen something contemporary, and yet classic, with a smooth, slate facade, granite accents, and a gloriously domed skylight that thrust upward and let in the late fall twilight, blue and indigo streaking the cloudy sky. 

Students, faculty, and even a few media teams had shown up for the opening. There was, however, a flit of concern that Alex had picked up on from the members of the Bartlett School of Architecture that were present. Apparently, their lead designer had yet to show up, and it was getting close to seven o’clock. Alex sighed. He didn’t know how much he could endure without _something_ going on, other than the leering gaze of an underclassman who was hellbent on sizing Alex up from across the room. With an annoyed shudder, Alex turned back to the bar, and signaled for another drink. If the the guest of honor didn’t show up in another fifteen minutes, Alex decided he was finding Beth and cutting his losses, and taking them both back to his dorm to get drunk.

+

“Shit,” Jamie muttered as he felt the familiar tremor run through his ancient Jeep Comanche.

“What?” Colin asked worriedly, putting his hand on the dash as the vehicle clunked and rolled to a stop at the curb.

“Ah, fook me, the fuses are shot again,” Jamie sighed, leaning down to pull the emergency brake.

“Jamie, we don’t really have time for this,” Colin advised, checking his watch. “We’re practically late as it is - Albright is probably having kittens by now.”

Jamie sighed. They were at least ten more blocks from campus. “Let’s pray for a long labour,” Jamie muttered as he conjured up the face of his advisor, David Albright, looking at him with relative disdain. 

He slid out of the driver’s seat and popped the hood, and ducked inside. It didn’t take him long to find the problem - sure enough, the main fuses for the electrical system were fried, and he hadn’t replaced the emergency set from the _last_ time they’d shorted out on him. Once more he cursed himself for not taking his father’s offer to replace it. But Jamie loved his little red Comanche, and all the memories he’d made along the road. He wasn’t quite prepared to part with it just yet. Instead, he slammed the hood down and swore softly.

“We’re gonna have to hoof it the rest of the way,” Jamie called out to Colin as he came back around to the driver’s side and reached to the backseat for his satchel.

“Dude, I can’t run. I mean...I just ate. And had three pints.”

“This is why you should come jogging with me in the mornings,” Jamie scolded with a grin. He slung his satchel across his chest and tightened the tie to his ponytail. “All right, I’ll run, you get a cab, we’ll meet there, how’s that?”

“Why aren’t you waiting for the cab?” Colin asked as he hopped down from the passenger side and stepped onto the curb. He glanced up the street in both directions, frowning when he found it relatively abandoned.

“Do you see any cabs nearby?” Jamie remarked as he crouched to tie his workboots more securely. “Call one, get there when you can. I can’t stand up a room full of people waiting for me to say hello. I mean, how would that look on a resume?”

“Christ, Cook, you really are a saint, aren’t you?” Colin grumbled, pulling out his phone and dialling a cab company. He spoke with the dispatcher briefly, and then hung up and looked back to Jamie. “Checkered says they’ll have someone out in about ten minutes.

Jamie shrugged. “It’ll take me six to get to the campus. I’ll see you there.” He smiled, and then held onto the strap of his satchel, and turned towards the campus, his feet already moving at a steady pace.

+

A murmur of voices through the crowd caught Alex’s attention, and he heard something about the design’s team lead finally making it to the event. Alex glanced at the large clock over the doorway and noted that it had been eleven minutes. And he’d been so eager to wind down those last four minutes, grab his jacket, and head back to his dorm. No such luck, it seemed - Beth was glancing in his direction from where she spoke with a few friends from a writing workshop she chaired, and smiled smugly, nodding in the direction of the clock. After his third margarita, Alex had hunted Beth down and told her of his fifteen minute time frame, and now, it seemed, his bluff was being called.

“Fine,” he grumbled to himself through clenched teeth, turning back towards the bar

“Hi,” a chipper voice greeted.

Alex fought a frown from forming on his face as he recognized his admirer from across the room. “Er...hello.”

“I’ve seen you around campus - in the English department?”

“Hmm. Yes. Possibly,” Alex uttered, trying not to sound put out. He smiled half-heartedly.

“I’m Patrick.”

“Alex.” He shook the hand Patrick offered, but only for a moment, before he picked up his margarita again.

“So, what brings you here?”

Alex groaned internally. Was this guy _really_ leading with a line like that?

“Eh...Beth Chambers, actually. There she is.” He nodded towards Beth and raised his glass. Her face twisted in mirth at Alex’s apparent pick-me-up artist, and she quickly turned back to her friends, her shoulders bouncing with what Alex knew to be laughter.

 _I’ll bloody strangle her for this_ , Alex thought. _Strangle her, and throw her body in the river. No one would miss her. Okay, maybe I would. But my current bloodlust would be satisfied_ -

Patrick was droning on about something.

“I’m sorry, can you repeat that?” Alex didn’t feel the least bit remorseful for missing anything Patrick had to say, but he didn’t want to be rude.

“I said I’m studying Shakespeare, with a focus on his early sonnets.”

“Ah,” Alex said, trying to humor the fellow. Really, that’s all the English majors believed was worthy - Shakespearean sonnets. Not to mention the fact that for a guy trying to pick someone up, you don’t lead with a line about yourself. _No class_ , Alex thought, suppressing the urge to yawn. He was disliking Patrick more and more with every breath the idiot wasted on himself. To hide his distaste, Alex merely nodded and took another sip of his margarita.

“My advisor tells me that my honors thesis topic is rather refreshing,” Patrick continued. 

Alex bit his tongue to keep from lashing out. His second margarita had done it’s job, and now he was feeling a lot less inhibited than when he arrived.

“Perhaps you and I could discuss it over - 

“Ehhh...Excuse me, mind if I just - pardon me,” a gruff, but jovial voice interrupted.

Patrick sputtered at the invasion, but all Alex could do was lean back as a sturdy body situated itself between him and Patrick, presenting Alex with broad shoulders covered in a well-tailored navy blazer, and a curling, dark blond queue. 

“Gin and tonic?” the voice continued. “Make it a double, mate, and a large glass of water if you please.”

Alex didn’t know whether or not to be relieved that he’d been momentarily saved from Patrick and his pathetic advances, or insulted that he’d been rather abruptly cut off, despite the situation.

Patrick did the work for Alex, however, and snarled, “Excuse _me_ , but I was talking to the gentleman.”

The blond head came up, scanned Patrick, and then glanced over a shoulder, catching Alex’s gaze with clear blue eyes. “Oh?” he asked softly.

Alex was rooted to the floor, and he found himself unable - unwilling - to look away. “Ah...erm...that’s not...no, not actually, no, Patrick wasn’t…” Alex rambled for a moment and then heard his voice die as a blush heated his cheeks.

The blond turned around fully and leaned one elbow on the bar, ignoring Patrick’s flailing behind him. “He wasn’t…?” Smiling - _god, his smile! It splits his face like a sickle raised high in the harvest moon_ \- (and here, Alex cursed his poetic nature but was thankful for the dryness of his mouth, lest he open it foolishly), the man paused and thanked the bartender when his beverages were placed in front of him, and he picked up the large glass of water and immediately began downing it.

Patrick forgotten, Alex stared at the blond for a moment, tilting his head to watch the man guzzle water with utter fascination. He was flushed, his brow damp with perspiration, and his charcoal button down shirt was a little wrinkled under the strap of his satchel. “You... _ran_? To get _here_?” he asked deadpan, a little surprised that someone would be in a hurry to get to a room full of stuffy, boring people in honor of a building.

The blond shrugged, and dabbed at his dark, trimmed beard with a napkin before answering, “Yeah, well...didn’t want to miss it, you know?”

Alex snorted and looked back at the bar, picking up his margarita to take a sip. “You haven’t missed much, I can tell you that,” Alex scoffed, letting the tequila do the talking. “The guest of honor - the guy who designed the place? Couldn’t even be bothered to make it on time.” Alex shook his head remorsefully. “I could have been studying Byron.”

The blond paused, and set the water glass down, and then fingered his double gin and tonic for a moment. “ _Sincerity may be humble, but she cannot be servile_.”

Alex blinked owlishly at the man before him. Said man had the decency to look down at his glass with a shy smile, before lifting it and taking a sip. Before Alex could come up with a retort, a voice came over the loudspeakers.

“ _Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for your patience this evening. As we’ve kept you all waiting long enough, we’ll cut right to the chase. We are here tonight to celebrate the grand opening of the Fraser Memorial Library. Over the last three years, as part of the graduate program, myself, along with several faculty members, and students, contractors, and laypersons, have spent hundreds of hours designing, constructing, and bringing to life this beautiful structure that we stand in tonight. It seems only proper that the leader of the design team, who has **finally** graced us with his presence-” there was a pause as a twitter of laughter swept through the room, and Alex was pulled from his study of the blond’s profile as he watched the speaker at the podium - “come up here and say a few words. Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you one of our top students at the Bartlett School of Architecture, Mr. Jamie Robert Cook. Jamie?_ ”

The blond turned to Alex with a grin and winked. “Excuse me for a moment? I have to go make a speech.” Still carrying his drink, he turned and wove through the crowd to the sound of polite applause, climbed the steps to the stage, and took up residence behind the podium.

Alex gaped, and it was all he could do to not face palm his faux pas. His cheeks blazed enough as it was, and he slumped against the bar. Too embarrassed to duck out early, now that he’d made such a fool of himself, he’d endure the speech. It was the least he could do for being such a dickhead.


	2. Chapter 2

Cockblocking that eager looking lad at the bar hadn’t been Jamie’s intention, but when he’d turned around and cast his eyes on the object of interest, he was glad he’d chosen that spot to dive into. The man in question was...well, he was gorgeous, and the notion of it struck odd with Jamie, as he’d never really assigned such a label to a man before. But it was fitting, though it hardly did the man justice. He was smaller in stature, two inches shy of Jamie’s 5’10”, and lean, but not delicate. Those shoulders from which the sweater hung seemed sturdy, and the hands, though graceful as they tucked an errant curl hair behind an ear, looked like they weren’t afraid of work, of putting effort into something. The face, however, was what struck Jamie almost dumb: the longer hair, a deep, glossy brown that was almost black, framed a face that was both angular and soft at the same time. Sharp cheekbones and a defined jaw were made more delicate by the tender looking mouth, and the dramatic widow’s peak his dark hair arched into framed his face with a heart. The focal point was the eyes, however: large, luminous, dark, and so endless that Jamie felt his heart pounding the deeper he slipped into them.

He was in danger of tripping into those depths once more as he greeted the crowd, and scanned the faces watching him. Public speaking was something that came rather easily to him, but as he began his greetings, apologizing for his lateness and listing his unreliable mode of transport as the primary culprit (which caused a few chuckles from those that were familiar with the red dead beast), and his project partner, Colin McKay, and a round of pints at _The Duck and Lion_ as the secondary (which caused even more laughter, as Colin’s reputation for being tardy, and Jamie’s love of pints, was well known among the department), he found his attention waning, and that he was actively seeking out the dark-eyed lad who was still occupying space at the bar. Each time they locked gazes, Jamie couldn’t help but gently smile before carefully looking away - but not before he saw the other man’s cheekbones turn a delicate shade of pink.

Conscious of rushing his speech, Jamie paused and took a sip of his gin, which he’d balanced on the podium when he’d first taken his position. As he launched into well crafted paragraphs that spoke of the history of the university, and the late Owen Fraser after whom the library was named, Jamie’s attention strayed once more, this time to the brunet’s epic foot-in-mouth moment, which Jamie found incredibly disarming. His heart pounded with the excitement of the evening, and with the excitement of this stranger. He needed to know his name. He needed to know his story. He needed to know every last detail about the man who studied Byron and looked every bit the part of the man he studied. He wanted to hear him speak again, that deep and rolling voice round with lazy vowels and precise consonants, wanted those eyes to go wide like they had when Jamie had quoted Byron, wanted to see that blush in his cheeks up close...Jamie blinked and glanced at his cards and suddenly found that he had no idea where he was, or what he’d last said. Silence fell over the crowd and Jamie cleared his throat, took a breath, and then flashed a charming smile.

“Pints,” he mumbled, feeling his own cheeks heat. He shuffled his cards, and moved to the next point. “It’s such an honour, and awe-inspiring, to see this design come to fruition,” Jamie went on, though it was half-hearted. The dark-eyed lad had certainly stolen the thunder from the evening, at least for Jamie, and he didn’t care one bit.

+

Alex was entranced as he watched Jamie speak, and certainly, he’d never felt that way before about anyone. The bearded blond seemed at ease behind the podium, and Alex knew that he’d written his own speech, and was well versed, knowledgeable, and comfortable with the content. And he was funny, which Alex latched onto right away, and seemed to take life’s ups and downs in stride, managing to work his social blunder of being late to his own party into the speech so flawlessly that Alex found it difficult to feel put out.

“He’s cute,” Beth murmured as she sidled up to the bar.

Alex managed to tear his eyes away from Jamie and look at her with a startled look. “Excuse me?”

Beth smiled and nodded towards the stage. “The guy speaking? What was his name? John? Jason? James?”

“Jamie,” Alex blurted out, immediately regretting his haste to answer.

Beth latched onto it. “Oh, right. _Jamie_ ,” she sighed, batting her eyelashes. “He has a beard,” she pointed out flatly.

Alex nodded, and found it strange that he found this part of the appeal. Normally, he didn’t go for such ruggedness...or perhaps it was because such ruggedness had never shown him the amount of attention Jamie had shown him in such a short time.

“An’ a ponytail,” Alex added on softly. And amazing blue eyes, and a knack for style, an adorable face, a natural magnetism that Alex couldn’t deny - “An’ he’s way out me league.” He felt the distinct urge to shut down any fluttering his nerves did. _Jamie’s kind doesn’t go for guys like me_ , he silently amended.

As if she could read his thoughts, Beth immediately uttered, “Bullshit,” before digging her elbow into Alex’s ribs. “I saw the way he was chatting you up over here - saved your ass from Patrick Ryan, didn’t he?”

“I hardly doubt he had that in mind when he shoved his way between us.”

“Quit trying to sound like that wasn’t the highlight of your evening,” Beth scolded. “I saw you from where I was standing - my _god_ , Alex, if Patrick had been paying any sort of attention to you, he would have known right away that you weren’t interested. I could tell. And then he comes in,” and she here she paused to nod vaguely in the direction of the stage, “and saves you from an excruciating experience, whether that was his plan, or not. He’s got charm, you can’t deny that.”

Alex pursed his lips and went to take another sip of his margarita, but frowned at the empty glass. “Hmmm,” he grumbled, setting the glass down and looking back at the stage. “Let me give you a rundown of guys like him,” Alex began lowly, feeling those last licks of tequila igniting his veins. “And all the reasons why I’m out of his league. For starters, he’s an _architect _. Or studying to be one. We have _nothing_ in common.”__

__Beth glanced at the stage to where Jamie was draining his gin and then speaking again, and then she looked back at Alex. “You two sure seem to enjoy your clear liquor. And it seems to make you both rather chatty.”_ _

__“Shh,” Alex hissed. “Secondly, it’s obvious he’s an athlete - or a former one, at least. Probably got here on a footie scholarship and his daddy, who’s paid for his education, told him to have a backup plan, so he decided he’d draw for a living.”_ _

__Beth looked back to the stage, took in Jamie’s rather sturdy frame, and shrugged. “He _can_ wear a pair of jeans. Nice thighs. Nice shoulders. So what if he plays footie?”_ _

__Alex sighed, disgusted. “They’re all the same,” he groused, crossing his arms over his chest and tucking his chin into the collar of his sweater. “Trust me, Beth, I know guys like him - rich blokes who kick a ball around for the fun of it, and then kick faggots around in their spare time.”_ _

__Beth turned to face Alex fully, and frowned at his ability to judge so quickly. “Alex, you are so full of shit.” When he didn’t reply, Beth went another route. “What did he say to you?”_ _

__“Eh?”_ _

__“What did he say to you to make you look at him like you did? Wide eyes, open mouth, clearly stunned. Did he speak Greek? What was it?”_ _

__Alex squirmed and made a face, caught in his own whining. “It were nowt.”_ _

__“Oh, that’s a load of crap. I’ve only seen you react like that at one other time, and that was when Professor Laing concluded that your written prose was by far the best he’d ever read, student or otherwise. So, Jamie must have said _something_ to make you go weak in the knees. What did he say?”_ _

__Alex dared a glance back at the podium, where Jamie was smiling at the crowd, and wrapping up his speech. A flicker of blue trapped him and held him, and then flitted away, and Alex squirmed again at the flirtatious nature of it. “He quoted Byron,” Alex mumbled._ _

__Just then, the crowd broke into polite applause._ _

__“Come again?” Beth asked._ _

__Alex sighed and then shuffled closer to Beth. “Byron. He quoted Byron.”_ _

__Beth blinked at Alex and gave him an incredulous look. “Just like that?”_ _

__Alex nodded. “Aye. Just like that.”_ _

__“And you’re still thinking he’s some sort of...stupid ex-jock?”_ _

__“Well, he’s not stupid,” Alex bemoaned, gesturing to the room. “Obviously he’s got enough brains to design this,” he continued, sounding a bit awestruck as he craned his head up to glance at the skylight once more._ _

__Beth sighed. “I’m failing to see what the issue is here.”_ _

__Alex shook his head and turned back to the bar. “Forget it. He’s just...he were just talking, is all. We exchanged a few words, nothing more-”_ _

__“Is that why he’s making his way over here?”_ _

__“What?” Alex whirled around and sure enough, Jamie had finished his speech and was descending from the stage, pausing to shake a few hands, but otherwise on a mission. Once more, those blue eyes found him, and Alex felt his heart skip a beat._ _

__“And why he couldn’t stop looking at you through his entire speech?” Beth continued, glancing at Alex, who was far too busy watching Jamie watching him. “And why you’re ignoring me?” she laughed softly._ _

__Alex squeaked, and glanced about, hoping for an easy exit, but Jamie was already in front of him, keeping a safe distance, smile still firmly in place. “Hello,” Jamie began, but he was cut off when another man, this one stocky, with a shaved head, appeared at Jamie’s side._ _

__“Cook, you amaze me,” the man said, clapping Jamie on the back. “Come on, there’s a few people here from the media that want to talk to you…” He trailed off as he realised Jamie was anxiously glancing between him, and Alex. “Oh...um...Excuse me, I didn’t mean to…” and then his gaze trailed to Beth and he thrust his hand out. “Hi.” His smiled broadened. “Colin Mackay.”_ _

__“Hello,” Beth greeted warmly, shaking Colin’s hand. “I’m Beth Chambers.” She nudged Alex forward. “This is Alex.”_ _

__Jamie’s smile widened and he put his hand out. “Hi, again, Alex.”_ _

__Alex blinked dumbly for a moment, and then took up Jamie’s hand, albeit shakily. He let out a breath as he felt the strength in Jamie’s grasp, and the warmth, and he made a small sound in the back of his throat. “H...He-ello,” he murmured._ _

__“Did you enjoy Jamie’s speech?” Colin began, moving beside Beth and engaging her right away. “He’s the voice of the project, really, but let me tell you - that slate facade? All my idea.” He grinned as Jamie rolled his eyes, and shot Colin a quick glance._ _

__“Oh?” Beth laughed, turning towards Colin to give him her attention._ _

__Alex suddenly realized he was still holding Jamie’s hand, and he dropped it before pulling his hand back through his hair and clearing his throat. “Erm...About the…” He paused and pointed to the area where Alex had made his blunder, and then made an all encompassing gesture. “Ah...the...you know...whole ‘not showing up’ thing. I mean...that were terribly rude an’-”_ _

__“It was,” Jamie nodded._ _

__Alex glowered then, narrowing his eyes at Jamie, and forming a retort, when Jamie began speaking again._ _

__“It were very rude for me to show up late and keep you away from your studies.” He flashed another dazzling smile._ _

__Alex paused, not having been prepared for Jamie’s smooth answer, and he subconsciously tugged the sleeve of his sweater down over the heel of his hand. “Well, yes, but...I mean...you ran to get here. That’s rather redeeming.”_ _

__Jamie raised his eyebrows in delight. “I’m glad to hear that. Am I fully redeemed? Or do I need to do a bit more work?”_ _

__Alex contemplated the line - and he knew it was a line - and shuffled his feet as he tried to drum up a response. “I’m not...what are you...more work...Perhaps?”_ _

__Jamie tilted his head to one side, and Alex had a distinct flash of the golden retriever that belonged to his neighbour when he was a boy._ _

__“Was that...an answer?” Jamie tucked a hand into the pocket of his jeans and slid to the spot beside Alex, leaning against the bar with him._ _

__And Alex turned towards him, a reaction he couldn’t explain, and mirrored Jamie’s stance. “Maybe?”_ _

__Jamie nodded, and smiled, turning his gaze towards the bar for a moment before returning it to Alex. “Well...can I maybe buy you a beer?”_ _

__Alex furrowed his brow. “It’s an open bar,” he pointed out._ _

__Jamie laughed, a full, rich sound, and Alex couldn’t help but smile, despite his best effort to not be charmed by the man._ _

__“A bar then - do you know _The Duck and Lion_?”_ _

__Alex had heard of the place, although it wasn’t much his scene, to be honest. He found it quite open, and loud, and a little raucous, usually filled with members of various sporting teams, engineers, and apparently, architectural students. He pulled his bottom lip between his teeth and gave a noncommittal shrug._ _

__“Somewhere else, then?" Jamie pressed. "You decide.”_ _

__“ _The Rose_ ,” Alex answered without thought, knowing that his home turf might make him feel a bit more comfortable, like he was in control of the situation. It was a stretch, of course - no matter what he did to try and gain the upper hand in the exchange, Jamie seemed to be one step ahead of Alex, which both infuriated, and fascinated him._ _

__Jamie paused, considering the offer, and then nodded. “I’ve never been. Tomorrow night? Around eight? I can meet you there.”_ _

__And just like that, Jamie had struck Alex speechless, not that the sounds he’d been previously stuttering could be defined as actual speech. He gaped, opening and closing his mouth like a fish, but found himself nodding, and completely ignoring his inner studious side screaming at him about study time, and constructing discussion questions, and notes on _Don Juan_._ _

__“Perfect,” Jamie smiled. “You can tell me all about Byron.”_ _

__“A-all-all right,” Alex answered._ _

__“I’m looking forward to it.” Jamie smiled and then gave Alex reprieve, stealing a glance across the room. Looking back to Alex, the blond smiled softly. “I should probably...go… uh.. answer some questions. It was good...to meet you, I mean,” Jamie fussed, scowling a bit as his words failed him._ _

__“Reyt, that,” Alex replied._ _

__“Have a good evening,” Jamie added as he stepped away with one more glance._ _

__+_ _

__“Who was that?” Colin whispered as they mingled with a few media folk and posed for photographs._ _

__Jamie felt his cheeks heat as he simply replied, “Alex,” and then motioned to a fellow student that he’d join them momentarily._ _

__“Well, I got _that_ much from him. But who is he?”_ _

__Jamie shrugged. “Dunno,” he drawled, glancing at Colin with a coy smile. “I’m having a pint wiv him t’marrah.”_ _

__Colin blinked, and craned his head to see where Alex had been joined by beth, her face beaming as she chatted animatedly with the dark-haired man. “Is that right? Think we could make it a double?”_ _

__Jamie gave Colin a double take. “You asked her out, didn’t you?”_ _

__“How could I not? Funny, intelligent, blonde, and she’s seen _Blade Runner_ at least once. Tell me it isn’t love.”_ _

__“It isn’t love,” Jamie laughed._ _

__“Not yet,” Colin murmured, stealing another glance at her. “So...this Alex guy...he’s not...really the type you go for,” he pointed out._ _

__“Colin, I’ve been out as bi for about a year. I don’t think I’ve developed a type yet,” Jamie corrected him. He led Colin towards a group of peers._ _

__“Yeah but...he’s an English major. And he’s…”_ _

__Jamie knew what Colin was talking about. Although he was adamant about not having a type, the last few guys he’d been out with had been rather...straight and narrow. Business types, those that had suits in their closets and polished shoes and carried briefcases. Alex was definitely not that type._ _

__“He’s a mystery,” Jamie supplied. “And I’m looking forward to gathering as many clues as I can.” _Though_ , Jamie added to himself, _I doubt I can solve him. But I can see myself spending a lot of time trying_._ _

__+_ _

__“I should have said ‘no’,” Alex bemoaned as he walked with Beth across campus._ _

__They huddled close to one another, heads bent together in the damp autumn chill, chins tucked into their scarves._ _

__“What?” Beth screeched. “Why on _earth_ would you want to say no?”_ _

__“Because it’s going to be awkward as _hell_ , Beth. I mean...can you honestly see...him...er...Jamie...see him with his beard and his ponytail and his tweed and work boots sitting in a giant wingback at _The Rose_ just...enjoying the dark atmosphere, and the books and the wood and…” Alex ran out of words and sighed heavily. “It’s gonna be disastrous.”_ _

__“Maybe he’ll wear his hair down,” Beth smiled, giving Alex a shove with her shoulder. “Could be like the cover of a romance novel, you know. Come on, you could do with a little bodice-ripping.”_ _

__“I hate you so much right now,” Alex groused._ _

__Beth laughed out loud, and threw her arm around Alex’s neck, bestowing a sisterly kiss on his cheek. “We’ve discussed this. You love me. In fact, you love me so much that you’re going to let me take you shopping tomorrow after afternoon lecture, and we’ll buy you a new shirt for the occasion.”_ _

__“Your answer for everything is shopping.”_ _

__“Retail therapy,” Beth corrected Alex._ _

__“I’m not getting out of this, am I?”_ _

__Beth shook her head. “Nope. Alex, just...just go, and see where the night takes you. Maybe he’ll surprise you?”_ _

__Alex didn’t say anything, but he had a feeling Beth was more right than either of them could possibly imagine._ _


End file.
